Future Talent: Women in Construction

  • by Laura St Juste Kidd

    • Unlocking an Overlooked Talent Pool: Women in Construction & What Nuclear Can Learn šŸ’”

    As the construction sector accelerates efforts to diversify its workforce, the nuclear industry stands to benefit from similar strategies. Two recent initiatives highlight ways to systematically empower women in traditionally male-dominated fieldsā€”and their lessons are directly transferable to nuclear careers.

    1.ā€ÆWomen in Construction: The Power Within Training

    Founded by Michaela Wain, Enas Fleming, and James Fleming, this UK initiative offers leadership and mindset development tailored for women entering and advancing in construction.

    • Leadership training through Motivational Intelligence (MQ): The program equips women with communication, resilience, and self-belief skillsā€”key for navigating workplace biases.
    • Holistic development community: A supportive space combining free webinars, eBooks, and workshops creates a network of peers and mentors.
    • Proven impact: Participants are rising into leadership roles, leading cultural initiatives, and being promoted faster than industry averages.

    2.ā€ÆIndustry Push to Retain Women Apprentices

    Data from the Construction & Industry Training Board reveals a 65% surge in women starting apprenticeships over five years; completion rates have more than doubled, from ~340 to 930 annually.

    • Despite this progress, women still occupy just 1% of site-based rolesā€”underscoring the need for retention strategies.
    • Major drivers of early exits include lack of support, poor workplace culture, and few visible role models.
    • Programs blending technical skills with emotional resilience training, and creating mentorship structures, have shown measurable success: more women complete apprenticeships and take leadership roles.

    Sources: [women-in-c…tion.co.uk], [waterpower…gazine.com]

    What Nuclear Can Learn & Implement

    šŸ› ļø 1. Combine Technical Training with Mindset Development

    • Like construction, early-career nuclear roles (e.g., apprenticeships, engineering cadets) benefit when enriched with MQ-style workshops on communication and confidence.

    šŸ‘„ 2. Build Supportive Communities

    • Create mentorship networks and peer groups, promoting belonging and shared guidance. Nuclear apprentices or junior staff mentoring each other and collaborating with senior women builds long-term retention.

    šŸš€ 3. Champion and Showcase Leadership Role Models

    • Promote successful women in nuclear operations, engineering, regulation, and leadership, amplifying diverse voices to inspire incoming talentā€”especially at site or operational levels.

    āš–ļø 4. Embed Equity in Culture

    • Tackle structural barriers: ensure equitable pay, flexible working, inclusive culture training, and safe grievance channels. This makes commitment to diversity more than just a tick box.

    šŸ“ˆ 5. Track Impact through Data

    • Monitor hires, retention, progression, and workplace satisfaction by gender. Use results to refine programs and demonstrate ROIā€”mirroring the proof-backed benefits construction is seeing.
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